Posted by Tony Hutton
On my last visit to Fenners, the home of Cambridge University cricket, I had a good look round the pavilion perusing the lists of famous players of the past. I recalled having seen the 1951 team play at Worcester when future England players David Sheppard and Peter May were in the side. However my attention was drawn to the picture of the 1950 side which included no less than five future England players with Hubert Doggart, John Dewes and John Warr added to the two mentioned above.
Tom Wells was a New Zealander who had three years with the University and played just one match for Worcestershire in 1950. He was a left hand bat who taught at Clifton College, Bristol for eight years before returning to his native land where he became a headmaster.
David Sheppard, an opening batsman, went on to play for Sussex and England before becoming Bishop of Liverpool. He captained Cambridge in 1952 and played for Sussex from 1947 to 1962. He played in 22 Tests for England and was thought to be a likely captain, but Len Hutton got the vote.
Mike Stevenson was an attacking batsman and slow left arm bowler who played briefly for his native county, Derbyshire from 1950-1952. He played for the University for four years and became a teacher at both Pocklington School and Rydal, in North Wales. Later he became a sporting journalist writing on cricket and rugby union. He also wrote a book on Yorkshire cricket.
Peter Kelland was an opening bowler who played for Repton School with great success when Donald Carr was captain. He had two years in the Cambridge XI and played briefly for Sussex before becoming a teacher at Highgate School in London, where he is reported to have discovered the talent of Phil Tufnell.
William Hayward is an Australian all rounder from Glenelg, Adelaide, who is one of only two members of the side still living at the age of 90. He was a right hand bat and medium pace bowler who took 68 wickets for the University and had a highest score of 57.
Peter May was without doubt the outstanding batsman of his generation who went on to great things as captain of Surrey and England. He played for Surrey from 1950 to 1963 and shared in their great run of championship successes. He played in sixty six Test matches and took over from Len Hutton as captain of England. He scored 85 centuries during his career, 15 of them for England. Sadly died at the young age of 64.
John Warr was an enthusiastic opening bowler who went on to captain Middlesex. He was rather fortunate to appear in two Test matches for England after being surprisingly selected to tour Australia. His Test match bowling figures ended with just 1-281 which is something he often mentioned during his later career as an excellent after dinner speaker.
Anthony Rimell was a left handed batsman, born in India who had played for Hampshire as an eighteen year old. He briefly played for them again in 1950, but despite scoring 160 for the University against Worcester in1949 did not pursue his cricketing career. He was also a useful off break bowler and once took 6-100 against Gloucester.
G.H.G. (Hubert) Doggart captained the side and was a member of well known sporting family. An all round sportsman himself he got University blues in five different sports and was captain in four of them. He was a good soccer player and exceptional at squash and racquets. He played twice for England against the West Indies in 1950 but without success. He had made an outstanding debut in first class cricket with 215 not out against Lancashire in 1948. He taught at Winchester College before becoming headmaster at Kings School, Bruton and managed to find time to captain Sussex in 1954.
 |
| Hubert Doggart |
John Dewes was an outstanding left handed opening batsman who played five times for England. He shared in two huge partnerships while at University putting on 429 with Doggart against Essex and 343 with Sheppard against the West Indies in 1950. He later played county cricket for Middlesex.
Finally Oliver Popplewell who was the wicket keeper. Now Sir Oliver Popplewell Q.C. he is the only other survivor, with Hayward, at the age of 93. His cricket career was rather brief, playing for the University for three seasons, and he of course went on to greater things with a career in the law. Probably now best known for chairing the enquiry into the Bradford City fire. He also became President of M.C.C.
Probably the greatest University side ever and sadly never likely to be repeated as the pressures of academic life are now very different to those days when sporting ability could get you anywhere.
No comments:
Post a Comment